(photo of Good Shepherd, Sioux Falls in winter by Denny Thurman)
My wife and I read Morning Prayer together most days. Now, she's NOT a morning person, so her participation is a real offering of love and devotion. But getting her up ain't easy. I sometimes turn on the TV, and go to a cable channel that plays all 70s music. She is so anxious to stop it that she wakes up a whole lot faster.
Anyway, the 70s song that annoyed her out of sleep today was the very whiny All By Myself by Eric Carmen. That, and my wife's faitfulness in prayer, and an early email from a prayer partner, got me thinking about the fact that we are never "all by ourselves" when it comes to prayer. By the grace of God,
...the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-7)
and,
... He [our ascended Lord, Jesus Christ], because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:24-25)
By thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit raise us to thy glorious throne.
(Charles Wesley, Advent Hymn 66 in the The Hymnal 1982)
Anyway, the 70s song that annoyed her out of sleep today was the very whiny All By Myself by Eric Carmen. That, and my wife's faitfulness in prayer, and an early email from a prayer partner, got me thinking about the fact that we are never "all by ourselves" when it comes to prayer. By the grace of God,
...the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-7)
and,
... He [our ascended Lord, Jesus Christ], because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:24-25)
By thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit raise us to thy glorious throne.
(Charles Wesley, Advent Hymn 66 in the The Hymnal 1982)
2 comments:
I take comfort in the idea that we are never alone when we pray with the church, especially in Morning and Evening Prayer. Somewhere in the world, there are others praying the offices at the time that I pray. We are never truly alone. And together we offer worship to our God.
Bless you David - may many prayers support you and many answers come to the prayers you offer!
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